A Time To Every Purpose
by Cap10
Summary: There are 196 countries in the world. Each has a history, each is unique. This is a short story collection looking lives at some of the countries that are off the beaten path. Story 4- A Time to Harvest...Life in Ukraine under soviet rule was harsh. Starvation was common, religious faith was punished by banishment to Siberia. Into this life, the Apple Festival brought sweetness.
1. A Time to Be Born: South Sudan

_**Author's Note**__- Hi everyone, welcome to my newest series of one shots. This collection will be a new type of challenge for me because instead of focusing on parts of the world I know (aka the arctic) I will be focusing trying to get to know countries from around the world. Because I am going to be challenging myself with something new I am going to rely on you, the reader, to help give me some good ideas. So if a topic, story or country are particularly interesting to you let me know and I will try to incorporate it into a future short._

_**Disclaimer**__-I do not own Hetalia or world history._

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**A Time to Be Born**

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In many ways the birth of a nation is just like the birth of a human child. Every country that is created is unique and they bring a new perspective of the future. Their births are also often heralded by labor pains. For the United States, it was the Revolutionary War, for Belarus, it was the collapse of the Soviet Union, for the Republic of South Sudan it was genocide.

Unlike a human birth, the personification of a nation often was fully aware of their shift from a region, territory, or colony to a fully fledged nation. They keenly felt the pain of being torn away from the support of their parent country. In a matter of moments after signing their official document of independence the infant nation felt the cold harsh reality of the world crash down on their shoulders. At this point a country is trapped in limbo.

This limbo was incredibly frightening for the personification of South Sudan. For the first time since he eyes blinked open as a toddler in the desert, he was completely alone. He was not part of the vast Egyptian empire. He was not clinging to his sister Sudan. He was his own master, but that didn't mean his destiny was not in the hands of others. He knew that just because a nation declares itself to be independent, does not mean that it will welcomed by the international community. If he is shunned now, South Sudan will never be able to enjoy its full potential. Still there is no way to turn back.

The Republic of South Sudan will crawl towards nationhood until he is strong enough to walk. He will walk until he is able to run a fully functional government. Maybe someday he will as powerful as countries in North America and Europe and will be able to reach up his hands to fly amongst the stars. Until that day happens he will be content putting one foot in front of the other and take baby steps towards the future.

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_**Historical Note**__-Since 1990, 34 countries have been created. 12 of these were created when the USSR dissolved. Five were created when Yugoslavia dissolved. The rest became independent due to various other reasons. Eight of these countries were created when countries split in half (usually due to ethnic differences in various regions of the country). Three were former colonies administered by the United States. One country was dissolved when it merged with a neighbor. The rest were islands which had been self governing for some time, but hadn't officially separated from a larger government. Currently there are an additional five regions which are currently petitioning to become independent countries, which mean there will be plenty new countries born in the future._

_**End Note**__- So what did you think? I would really love your feedback._

_**Next Chapter**__- _A Time to Die-_ Prussia was dying. The whole world counsel knew it. They all were watching him slowly dissolve away as the memory of his country passed from living memory. To be honest, the personification of Prussia had lived far longer than expected. He had had the time to come to terms with death…that still didn't mean he was ready to say goodbye…_


	2. A Time to Die: Prussia

_**Author's Note**__- Hey everyone, welcome to the next chapter of this experiment. I know that I am primarily focusing on countries that are off the beaten path, but I couldn't resist throwing in a chapter about Prussia. But before we get to that, thank you to Guest for reviewing. I have added Malaysia to the line up. _

_**Disclaimer**__- I still don't own Hetalia, though I am from Prussian decent so I do have a little bit of a connection to this story._

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**A Time to Die**

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The year was 2093 and the personification of the former nation of Prussia was staring at the ceiling. As far as ceilings went, it was a particularly boring one. It was flat and painted sterile white. The walls and sheets were in the same color of white, a medical white reminded the dying nation of hospitals. The only splashes of life in the room were the beautifully polished hardwood floor, the vase of blue cornflowers that was placed on the simple bookshelf in the corner, and of course the sleeping form of Germany who was sprawled on the chair next to his bed.

The sight of the sleeping nation made Prussia smile. During the day Germany was a powerful, headstrong nation who was respected as an international leader, but by night it was easy to still see the timid little boy he had been in his youth. Prussia had many found memories of the blond nation as a child. He remembered all of the days teaching the younger nation about politics and defense, then comforting the him at night when the dark or the illness that commonly attacked young nations made it difficult for him to sleep. Sadly things it appeared that things come full circle. It was now Germany's responsibility to comfort an ailing parent.

Everyone knew that Prussia was dying. Three months ago, he had collapsed in the middle of a world meeting. When he had tried to get back to his feet he had discovered he could no longer feel or move his legs. He could still remember the serious looks that the older nations gave each other when Germany had carried his broken body out of the building.

After a week of living with paralyzed legs it became clear things were getting worse. The lack of feeling was slowly traveling up his spine and his toes were an unnatural blue. Some of the older nations started to argue that Prussia would be most comfortable in a care facility where his needs would be taken care of. America and Canada both offered up him access to their hospitals.

Canada's offer had been particularly tempting, but Germany wouldn't hear of it. He had insisted that Prussia would come and live out the rest of his home. Prussia had tried to fight it, but his brother insisted. That is how he found himself spending his last few days laying in an unfamiliar bed in a well built house overlooking a forest.

Since the day Prussia moved in, most of the world's nations had come by the little room that Germany given him in the quiet corner of the house. A few of his closest friends such as Spain, France, and Hungry, would come by every other week or so to 'catch up.'

Regardless of who came to visit, they all ignored the elephant in the room. The never discussed the fact that nations didn't die the same way that humans did. They refused to acknowledged that a nation only died when there was no one left to consider themselves a citizen, as their population dwindled the nation would slowly lose their connection with the physical world. Gradually they would become almost like a ghost, translucent, a shadow of their former selves. When they finally let go there they didn't leave a corpse to bury. No the only bones a nation left behind were broken ruins and garbage heaps of the lost civilizations. The only stories of their existence were footnotes in textbooks and paragraphs in rarely read historical volumes.

Despite the fact that every nation that came to visit refused to admit that Prussia was slowly dissolving into thin air, he fully admitted it to himself. Every night he recognized the fact that his connection with the living world was getting more and more brittle. He knew that sooner or later it would snap. But every night as he felt death trying to pull him from this earth he would look over at Germany and fight to hold on just a little longer. It wasn't that Prussia was afraid to die, he just wasn't ready to say goodbye…

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_**Historical Note-**__ The history of Prussia, like a lot of Europe during the Middle Ages, is a complicated one. Through its history it controlled areas of modern day Poland, Russia, Germany, Ukraine, Denmark, and pretty much all of Lithuania and Belarus. Most historians consider its official beginning of the country to be in 1308 when the Teutonic Knights conquered the former region of Old Prussia. Due to its strong military capability and leadership the Prussian Empire lead most of the German speaking world through 1918. By 1932 Prussia was effectively abolished, in 1947 the country was officially dissolved. Despite this Prussia still has an impact today especially through food. For example the Potato Pancake was first created as a Prussian street food. Today it can still be found throughout Prussia's historic range._

_**End Note**__- Well if you enjoyed it let me know. Also if there are any particular countries you would like spotlighted, tell me and I will try to work them into the schedule. _

_**Next Chapter**__- _A Time to Plant_- The fertile ground between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers was the birth place of many of the world's staple crops. It was here that wheat and barley, peas and lentils were domesticated. For thousands of years this area of the world had been on the cutting edge of agriculture, but in the wake of war Iraq was now struggling to learn how to feed his people again._


	3. A Time to Plant: Iraq

_**Author's Note**__- Hey everyone, it is another month which means that it is time for another short story. This month is actually about a subject that is near and dear to my heart, agriculture. I got the idea for this story from the Iraqi Seed Project which is a documentary inspired by the loss of a lot of Iraq's seed banks due to second Iraq War. Well, on to the story, but before that I would like to give a quick shout out to last month's reviewer. Thank you missykim. You are as awesome as Prussia._

_**Disclaimer**__- I do not happen to own Hetalia, but I do know how to keep a garden…_

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**A Time to Plant**

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In any archeology textbook you will pick up, you will be able to read about the birth of agriculture…when you do this you will read about the past of Iraq. In the fertile ground between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers wheat, einkorn, barley, flax, peas, and lentils were domesticated and with them one of the world's first civilizations was born.

Thousands of years ago my early people were able to harness the power of soil, water, and plants to forever change the world. The free time agriculture allowed gifted the world some first written languages, glass, art, and metallurgy. We traded from India to the east and to Italy in the west, Russia to the north, and Sudan to the south. Our desert oasis became the world's center of learning and knowledge, a distinction that I kept until after the European renaissance. But then my slow fall from grace began…

At the time of the first Gulf War more than 30% of my population was farmers. Now in 2013 that number is less than 5%. In order to feed my people I am now relent on other governments sending me food aid and I must sale my oil to purchase the rest of the badly needed supplies. This fragile system has managed to stave off starvation so far, but I know that it will not last forever.

In Iraq it is time for change…it is time for me to learn how to feed myself again…it is time for me to plant seeds in fertile soil.

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_**Historical Note**__- In addition to the long list of agricultural crops what are believed to be domesticated in the Fertile Crescent there are also four major animals that were also domesticated there. These include the cows, pigs, goats and sheep._

_**End Note-**__ Oh, look, pretty button. Push it and leave a review._

_**Next Chapter**__- _A Time to Harvest_- Communism had taken so much from Ukraine. It has stolen her identity, her language, her culture. The politicians in Moscow put unrealistic burdens on her farmers driving so many to starvation, even though the fields were filled with grain. Still, one day of year there was hope. One day a year people didn't go hungry. Even though it was illegal, on the Day of the Apple Festival, Ukraine celebrated the harvest._


	4. A Time to Harvest: Ukraine

_**Author's Note**__-Hey everyone, it is another month, so it is time for another chapter but before we get to that it is time to give a quick shout out. Thank you Guest, Inuyashagirl, and Daphnia for leaving reviews. You all rock!_

_**Disclaimer**__-I do not happen to own Hetalia but my parents do own an apple tree and I have a cousin living in Ukraine._

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**A Time to Harvest**

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Through most of Ukraine's history, time had been kept by the church. The orthodox and catholic priests reminded them when to plant and when to harvest. When they should celebrate and when they should morn. Faith had been the thread that had woven the community together.

Everything changed at WWII. According to her younger brother Russia, Ukraine had been too weak to stand against the Germans alone. The he invaded her land, raping her resources in order to fuel the lumbering Soviet military machine…enlisting her children to become cannon fodder to distract the Axis machine guns…

By the time the Germans a fought there way across her lands, many of her people could not help but see them as liberators. Unfortunately, the nations of the Axis were as cruel as Soviets. People continued to be marched away, only this time it wasn't to the battle front it was to the work camps in Poland. As her people were dragged away from their homes all Ukraine could do was pray that they would return to her when the war ended. It was a pray that was never answered.

Instead when the war ended she found herself back into soviet hands. Unlike Belarus, Ukraine had not fought hard enough against the Germans. She had not made enough of an effort to return to the union. As a result she was found undeserving of perks of being in the Union. She would pay for her treason with her blood, sweat, and grain. Every inch of cultivatable land would be tilled. Every available citizen would become serifs to man the plows.

To some the new Ukraine was beautiful. It gentle rolling fields where covered with golden grain. Every once in a while the horizon was broken by a village or collection of huts, or maybe even a knot of trees like the small group of trees Ukraine had spent the last two hours walking to.

Somehow this orchard managed to survive the fighting. It was true that the gnarled old trees were scarred by bullets and that it was not uncommon to find the bones of soldiers lying amongst the weeds, it didn't change the fact that the trees were heavy with ripening fruit. Fruit that the peasants where quietly gathering into baskets.

What they peasants where currently doing was technically illegal. The fruit they were gathering was not for the state which made picking it a crime punishable by being sent to Siberia. The fact the fruit was technically part of a religious festival only made things worst. Still, a tradition that had been kept for thousands of years could not easily be forgotten.

Today was August 19th. It was Yablochniy Spas, the day of the Apple Savior. Today was the day that the fruits of the field were blessed. To celebrate that fact it was the very first day when you were allowed to eat this year's crop of apples. The best part of the day was the fact that you didn't need to have access to an apple tree to celebrate the holiday. Everyone shared, not because of the dictates of a communist leader but because it was the right thing to do. In a place where everyone was thin and malnourished, the Yablochniy Spas was the one taste of sweetness in an otherwise bitter year…

Tomorrow sorrow faced children would once again return to the harvest and adults' backs would be bent in the field. Tomorrow their bellies would once again be faced with the gnawing pain of starvation when the soviet leadership took the efforts of their harvest. But for one day out of the year they could forget just how hard life was out of communism and taste the sweet flavor of tradition. This day reminded them that soviets could not stamp out every that Ukraine people held dear, just as they could never stop the seasons from turning.

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_**Historical Note**__-Under communist rule traditional holidays, particularly ones that had religious undertones, were band. Despite the fact that communist leaders such as Stalin ordered harsh punishments for people who celebrated holidays such as Yablochniy Spas, people still found ways to keep the traditions alive. In fact there are several reports that even local communist officials celebrated the holiday by surprising the populous by handing out apples instead of punishment during this one day of the year._

_**End Note**__-So what did you think? Did you enjoy the story?_

_**Next Chapter**__- _A Time to Kill_-The year was 1975 when Cambodia began a social experiment. Now almost four years later the broken nation begins to doubt if the Khmer Rouge actions to create the perfect communist state had been worth the cost. _


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